1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an entertainment system connected to an entertainment apparatus which executes various programs and having at least one manual controller for entering control requests from a user into the entertainment apparatus, an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs, a recording medium which stores a program and data for use by the entertainment system, and a program itself.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some entertainment systems including entertainment apparatus such as video game machines display video game images based on video game data stored in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or the like on the display screen of a television receiver while allowing the user or game player to play the video game with commands entered via a manual controller.
In those entertainment systems, the entertainment apparatus and the manual controller are usually connected to each other by a serial interface. When a clock signal is supplied from the entertainment apparatus to the manual controller, the manual controller sends key switch information based on the user""s control entries in synchronism with the clock signal.
Recently developed manual controllers incorporate a vibration generating means for applying vibrations to the user based on a request from an external apparatus such as an entertainment apparatus, for example. While a video game is in progress, the vibration generating means applies various different kinds of vibrations to the user in response to user""s different control entries.
In an entertainment system including a manual controller with the above vibration applying function, the magnitudes of vibrations that can be generated are preset according to a video game program, and those vibrations are generated at predetermined times such as when a principal character in a video game enters a certain scene or when a principal character in a shooting game is damaged, for example.
There has not been available a system which permits the user to receive vibrations that the user prefers.
Many types of software that enable the user to compose music in the way the user likes are available in the market. However, the commercially available music composition software products are problematic in that they are difficult to operate and need a large expenditure of time and labor on the part of the user until the user masters how to use the music composition software.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an entertainment system, an entertainment apparatus, a recording medium, and a program which allow a user to set up the magnitudes of vibrations and also permit the user to receive vibrations that the user likes at any time the user wants.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an entertainment system, an entertainment apparatus, a recording medium, and a program which allow the user to visually set up the types of musical instruments and pitches thereof easily by changing the lengths of bars displayed on a monitor.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an entertainment system, an entertainment apparatus, a recording medium, and a program which allow the user to set up the magnitudes of vibrations, permit the user to receive vibrations that the user likes at any time the user wants, and also allow the user to visually set up the types of musical instruments and pitches thereof easily.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an entertainment system comprising an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs, at least one manual controller for entering manual control requests from the user into the entertainment apparatus, a display unit for displaying images outputted from the entertainment appratus, the manual controller having a vibration generating device for imparting vibrations to the user in response to an external request, and vibration setting means for setting up a length of a bar displayed on the display unit according to a control input from the manual controller, and setting up a magnitude of vibrations to be generated by the vibration generating device depending on the length of the bar.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an entertainment apparatus for connection to a manual controller for outputting at least a control request from the user, the manual controller having a vibration generating device for imparting vibrations to the user in response to an external request, and a display unit for displaying images, comprising vibration setting means for setting up a length of a bar displayed on the display unit according to a control input from the manual controller, and setting up a magnitude of vibrations to be generated by the vibration generating device depending on the length of the bar.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium storing a program and data for use in an entertainment system having an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs, at least one manual controller for entering manual control requests from the user into the entertainment apparatus, and a display unit for displaying images outputted from the entertainment apparatus, the manual controller having a vibration generating device for imparting vibrations to the user in response to an external request, the program stored in the recording medium comprising the step of setting up a length of a bar displayed on the display unit according to a control input from the manual controller, and setting up a magnitude of vibrations to be generated by the vibration generating device depending on the length of the bar.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program readable and executable by a computer, for use in an entertainment system having an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs, at least one manual controller for entering manual control requests from the user into the entertainment apparatus, and a display unit for displaying images outputted from the entertainment apparatus, the manual controller having a vibration generating device for imparting vibrations to the user in response to an external request, the program comprising the step of setting up a length of a bar displayed on the display unit according to a control input from the manual controller, and setting up a magnitude of vibrations to be generated by the vibration generating device depending on the length of the bar.
Therefore, magnitudes of vibrations to be generated by the vibration generating device of the manual controller can be set up depending on the length of the bar displayed on the display unit. The user can receive vibrations whose magnitudes have been thus set up at any time the user wants.
If the display unit displays a plurality of bars, then there may be employed vibration output means for, or a step of, imparting vibrations to the user at the magnitude set up by the vibration setting means each time a cursor movable at a constant speed on the display unit is positioned at one of the bars. By changing the lengths of the bars, the user can receive vibrations at different magnitudes as the cursor moves on.
If the manual controller has a plurality of vibration generating devices, and the display unit has means for displaying a plurality of bars which jointly provide a step bar, then the vibration setting means or step may have means for, or a step of, setting up magnitudes of vibrations to be generated by the vibration generating devices depending on the lengths of the bars which jointly provide the step bar. The user can receive different types of vibrations at one step bar.
If the display unit has means for displaying a plurality of step bars, then there may be employed vibration output means for, or a step of, imparting vibrations to the user at the magnitude set up by the vibration setting means each time a cursor movable at a constant speed on the display unit is positioned at one of the step bars. By changing the lengths of the bars of the step bars, the user can receive different types of vibrations at different magnitudes as the cursor moves on.
According to yet still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an entertainment system comprising an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs, at least one manual controller for entering manual control requests from the user into the entertainment apparatus, a display unit for displaying images outputted from the entertainment apparatus, a sound output unit for outputting sounds outputted from the entertainment apparatus, sound setting means for setting up a length of a bar displayed on the display unit according to a control input from the manual controller, and setting up a type and/or a pitch of sound to be outputted to the sound output unit depending on the length of the bar.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an entertainment apparatus for connection to a manual controller for outputting at least a control request from the user, the manual controller having a vibration generating device for imparting vibrations to the user in response to an external request, a display unit for displaying images, and a sound output unit for outputting sounds, comprising sound setting means for setting up a length of a bar displayed on the display unit according to a control input from the manual controller, and setting up a type and/or a pitch of sound to be outputted to the sound output unit depending on the length of the bar.
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium storing a program and data for use in an entertainment system having an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs, at least one manual controller for entering manual control requests from the user into the entertainment apparatus, a display unit for displaying images outputted from the entertainment apparatus, and a sound output unit for outputting sounds outputted from the entertainment apparatus, the program stored in the recording medium comprising the step of setting up a length of a bar displayed on the display unit according to a control input from the manual controller, and setting up a type and/or a pitch of sound to be outputted to the sound output unit depending on the length of the bar.
According to a yet further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program readable and executable by a computer, for use in an entertainment system having an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs, at least one manual controller for entering manual control requests from the user into the entertainment apparatus, a display unit for displaying images outputted from the entertainment apparatus, and a sound output unit for outputting sounds outputted from the entertainment apparatus, the program comprising the step of setting up a length of a bar displayed on the display unit according to a control input from the manual controller, and setting up a type and/or a pitch of sound to be outputted to the sound output unit depending on the length of the bar.
Therefore, by changing the lengths of the bars, the user can visually set up types of musical instruments and pitches of sounds produced thereby with ease, and can easily compose desired music within a short period of time.
If the display unit (has means for displaying a plurality of bars, then there may be employed sound output means for, or a step of, outputting the type and/or the pitch of sound depending on the length of the bars to the sound output unit each time a cursor movable at a constant speed on the display unit is positioned at one of the bars. By changing the lengths of the bars, sounds of different types of musical instruments and different pitches can be outputted as the cursor moves on.
If the display unit has means for displaying a plurality of bars which jointly provide a step bar, the sound setting means or step may comprise means for, or a step of, setting up the type and/or the pitch of sound to be outputted to the sound output unit depending on the lengths of the bars which jointly provide the step bar. Sounds of different types of musical instruments and different pitches can be outputted at one step bar.
If the display unit has means for displaying a plurality of step bars, then there may be employed sound output means for, or a step of, outputting the type and/or the pitch of sound set up by the sound setting means to the sound output unit each time a cursor movable at a constant speed on the display unit is positioned at one of the step bars. By changing the lengths of the bars of the step bars, sounds of different types of musical instruments and different pitches can be outputted as the cursor moves on.
According to a yet still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an entertainment system comprising an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs, at least one manual controller for entering manual control requests from the user into the entertainment apparatus, a display unit for displaying images outputted from the entertainment apparatus, a sound output unit for outputting sounds outputted from the entertainment apparatus, the manual controller having a vibration generating device for imparting vibrations to the user in response to an external request, and vibration/sound setting means for setting up a length of a bar displayed on the display unit according to a control input from the manual controller, setting up a magnitude of vibrations to be generated by the vibration generating device depending on the length of the bar, and setting up a type and/or a pitch of sound to be outputted to the sound output unit depending on the length of the bar.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an entertainment apparatus for connection to a manual controller for outputting at least a control request from the user, the manual controller having a vibration generating device for imparting vibrations to the user in response to an external request, a display unit for displaying images, and a sound output unit for outputting sounds, comprising vibration/sound setting means for setting up a length of a bar displayed on the display unit according to a control input from the manual controller, setting up a magnitude of vibrations to be generated by the vibration generating device depending on the length of the bar, and setting up a type and/or a pitch of sound to be outputted to the sound output unit depending on the length of the bar.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording medium storing a program and data for use in an entertainment system having an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs, at least one manual controller for entering manual control requests from the user into the entertainment apparatus, a display unit for displaying images outputted from the entertainment apparatus, a sound output unit for outputting sounds outputted from the entertainment apparatus, the manual controller having a vibration generating device for imparting vibrations to the user in response to an external request, the program stored in the recording medium comprising the step of setting up a length of a bar displayed on the display unit according to a control input from the manual controller, setting up a magnitude of vibrations to be generated by the vibration generating device depending on the length of the bar, and setting up a type and/or a pitch of sound to be outputted to the sound output unit depending on the length of the bar.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program readable and executable by a computer, for use in an entertainment system having an entertainment apparatus for executing various programs, at least one manual controller for entering manual control requests from the user into the entertainment apparatus, a display unit for displaying images outputted from the entertainment apparatus, and a sound output unit for outputting sounds outputted from the entertainment apparatus, the manual controller having a vibration generating device for imparting vibrations to the user in response to an external request, the program comprising the step of setting up a length of a bar displayed on the display unit according to a control input from the manual controller, setting up a magnitude of vibrations to be generated by the vibration generating device depending on the length of the bar, and setting up a type and/or a pitch of sound to be outputted to the sound output unit depending on the length of the bar.
Therefore, the user can set up magnitudes of vibrations to be generated by the vibration generating device of the manual controller, can receive vibrations whose magnitudes have been thus set up at any time the user wants, and can visually set up types of musical instruments and pitches of sounds produced thereby with ease.
If the display unit has means for displaying a plurality of bars, then there may be employed a vibration/sound output means for, or a step of, imparting vibrations to the user at the magnitude set up by the vibration setting means and outputting the type and/or the pitch of sound depending on the length of the bars to the sound output unit each time a cursor movable at a constant speed on the display unit is positioned at one of the bars. By changing the lengths of the bars, the user can receive vibrations at different magnitudes, and sounds of different types of musical instruments and different pitches can be outputted as the cursor moves on.
If the manual controller has a plurality of vibration generating devices, and the display unit has means for displaying a plurality of bars which jointly provide a step bar, then the vibration/sound setting means or step may comprise means for, or a step of, setting up magnitudes of vibrations to be generated by the vibration generating devices and setting up the type and/or the pitch of sound to be outputted to the sound output unit depending on the lengths of the bars which jointly provide the step bar. The user can receive different types of vibrations at one step bar, and sounds of different types of musical instruments and different pitches can be outputted at one step bar.
If the display unit has means for displaying a plurality of step bars, then there may be employed vibration/sound output means for, or a step of, imparting vibrations to the user at the magnitude set up by the vibration setting means and outputting the type and/or the pitch of sound set up by the sound setting means to the sound output unit each time a cursor movable at a constant speed on the display unit is positioned at one of the step bars. By changing the lengths of the bars of the step bars, the user can receive different types of vibrations at different magnitudes as the cursor moves on, and sounds of different types of musical instruments and different pitches can be outputted as the cursor moves on.